[Hypopituitarism associated with empty sella after steroid pulse therapy in a patient with SLE]

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with hypopituitarism after steroid pulse therapy is reported. A 46-years-old-female with a history of SLE starting in 1975 was admitted to our hospital in February 1991 for lupus nephritis. Steroid pulse therapy, 1000 mg methyl-prednisolone for 3 successive days as one therapy unit, was administered. Proteinuria improved remarkably, however, general fatigue and headache appeared 2 weeks after initiation of therapy. Endocrinological examination revealed hypopituitarism including the levels of TSH, FSH, GH and ACTH. The secretion of FSH and LH gradually improved after replacement therapy of dried thyroid. MRI examination of the brain revealed an empty sella. It is known that pituitary tumor, cerebrovascular accident and autoimmune lymphocytic hypophysitis cause hypopituitarism. In this case, it is unlikely that the pulse therapy may be responsible for the infarction of the anterior pituitary artery furthermore, there has been no articles describing such incidence after steroid pulse therapy. This case may be indicative of a very rare case in which the empty sella might have been exacerbated by the pulse therapy in the causation of hypopituitarism.